Arthur replied.
"There's a new revitalization project in a city in Texas. The proposal is to modernize the city's public transportation and digital infrastructure. This could be a big step for our brand."
"How much are we investing in this?"
"400 million dollars in the first phase. But there's resistance from local politicians, who want to involve American companies in the process."
"There always has to be something," Aiden muttered thoughtfully. "Offer local partnerships and let them think they have control. That should do the trick."
"Good idea. Let's contact the representatives."
At the end of the presentation, Ada and Arthur began to gather up the documents, but Aiden raised his hand.
"There's still something missing."
They both looked at him, confused.
"Argentina. I want us to start there as soon as possible. Talk to the planning team and bring a draft by next week."
Arthur's eyes widened in surprise.
"Why so suddenly? The planning team is swamped with the remaining projects."
"Intuition." Aiden replied evasively. "Star Corp. needs to expand into new regions quickly."
Ada smiled slightly, as if she had expected something like this.
"We'll get everything ready. Don't worry."
"Great. And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to rest before you kill me with more numbers."
Arthur laughed.
"Welcome back."
Aiden smirked.
Aiden walked down to the parking lot after leaving the meeting room. The cool morning air seemed thicker. He opened the door of the Lamborghini, but before he got in, his cell phone vibrated in his jacket pocket.
"Orion?" he murmured, seeing the name on the screen.
"Good morning, boss. We have some updates on recent events."
Aiden paused for a moment, his gaze narrowing with interest.
"Tell me."
"The preliminary investigation revealed that the runaway car was a 'planned accident.' Who's behind it is still unknown, but the fingerprints point to a different group than Ivan's. They don't have the same signature, so we're dealing with another big fish."
"Great. Because my life has been too quiet lately." Aiden scoffed, getting into the car and putting the speakerphone on. "What about the driver? Have you found anything?"
"Not yet, but we're monitoring his movements. He's completely disappeared. It seems like he was a disposable part of something bigger."
Aiden started the engine and looked toward the parking lot exit.
"Keep digging. I don't like mysteries in my routine."
"You got it."
He hung up the call and accelerated, letting the Lamborghini's roar echo through the building's tunnel.
His phone vibrated with a new notification.
"Ride accepted: Boarding point - Central District. Passenger: Mirela (police officer)"
"A police officer? That should be interesting," he muttered, putting on his sunglasses and accelerating toward the indicated point.
Aiden parked near the sidewalk, where he saw a woman with a firm posture and impeccable uniform. The police officer, who appeared to be in her 30s, walked up to the car with determined steps. Her brown hair was tied in a practical bun, and she carried a folder of documents under her arm.
"Good morning. Mirela?" Aiden asked as he rolled down the window.
"Yes, that's me." She studied the vehicle with a raised eyebrow before getting in. "A Lamborghini as a ride-hailing car? That's unusual."
"I like being unique in the market. Comfort is a priority." Aiden smirked, letting his calm voice soften any initial impression.
She let out a light laugh.
"Well, I'm not the one who's going to complain. I need to go to the police station on West Campus. Can you hurry? I'm in a hurry."
"Sure. Hold on."
Aiden accelerated smoothly, feeling the engine respond smoothly. In the backseat, Mirela took out her cell phone, making a few calls while he drove.
"Hello?" Mirela began to speak seriously into the phone, her voice taking on a deeper tone. "I want a full update on the boy's case. That's right, the rape case that happened last night."
The word "rape" made Aiden frown slightly. He couldn't help but eavesdrop, after all, the car was silent and Mirela didn't seem to care about keeping things discreet.
"The victim's statement? Okay... And the suspect? Does the family really want to hush up the case? I don't believe it." She paused, clearly irritated by something. "It's unbelievable how people with money think they can sweep dirt under the rug. This won't be ignored. I'll take the lead myself."
Aiden let out a low sigh, catching her eye in the rearview mirror.
"Is something wrong?" Mirela asked, still with the phone to her ear.
"Nothing... Just reminding me of how pitiful some humans can be." Aiden replied, keeping his eyes on the road.
She stared at him for a few seconds, as if analyzing his words, before returning to the call.
"Organize the reports and wait for me at the police station. This case won't just sit there, you understand?"
She hung up the phone, resting her head on the back of the seat for a moment. A heavy silence settled in the car, until Aiden decided to break it.
"A delicate case, apparently."
Mirela looked out the window, seeming to choose her words carefully.
"A 19-year-old boy was raped at a party. The worst part is that the main suspect comes from an influential family. They're doing everything they can to hide the case."
"And you won't let that happen."
She turned her face away, surprised by the certainty in his voice.
"It's my job."
Aiden smiled at the corner of his mouth.
"So you're one of the rare people who still fight for what's right. I hope you get justice."
She was silent for a moment, just watching the scenery passing quickly by the window.
"You don't look like just an ordinary app driver."
"Let's just say appearances can be deceiving." Aiden replied vaguely, accelerating a little more to break the tension.
When they arrived at the police station, Mirela quickly opened the door and got out of the car. Before closing it, she leaned over to look at Aiden again.
"Thank you for the ride and... for the conversation. There are few people who see beyond."
Aiden smiled, giving a slight nod.
"I hope to hear on the news that justice was served. Have a good day, Mirela."
She closed the door and walked quickly into the building, disappearing between the glass doors. Aiden stood still for a moment, watching the movement of the police station.
"Tsk. This world really needs a cleansing." With a deep sigh.